Gorilla Trails

This morning you follow the highway directly west via Mubende to Kibale. The route takes you across fertile land cultivated by smallholders - coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco and sugar cane are the cash crops in the shambas (plots) here. Where the land has not been put to use, a mosaic of high grassland and forest indicates that at one time the entire area was covered by indigenous forest. At this altitude – 1520m - it can be surprisingly cool, particularly during the wetter months of April-May and October-November. (Driving 400km – 7-8 hours) Lodge - 1 night (BLD)

Your early morning game drive on trails inside the national park may well reveal more elephant and, invariably, large numbers of graceful Uganda kob, the symbol of the Ugandan national parks. Then, in the afternoon, for a complete change you take a launch trip for a couple of hours on the Kazinga Channel, which links the two lakes; here you can observe hundreds of hippos from the relative safety of your boat. Elephant, buffalo and waterbuck are also commonly seen at the water’s edge, and occasionally big cats. It is a great place for birdlife - particularly pelicans, storks, cormorants, fish eagles and brightly coloured kingfishers - attracted by the large numbers of fish in the shallow channel. (BLD)

The next two days are dedicated to seeing the renowned mountain gorillas. One of the days will be spent tracking gorillas in the park. After a full briefing, one or two small groups will head off early in the morning with native trackers, to spend the day in the park. No more than eight people per day can visit any one habituated family and visits are strictly controlled to minimise the possibility of disturbance or transmission of disease to the animals. Tracking gorillas in dense forest can be wet, muddy and uncomfortable; the terrain is by no means easy either, so it can also be pretty strenuous - but the sheer thrill of coming across a habituated group of gorillas, dominated by a great male silverback, more than outweighs any difficulty!

You start where the gorilla group was last contacted the previous day, then follow a rough trail through the forest to discover the nests where they slept overnight. From here a fresh trail should lead you to the group - hopefully by the middle of the day. On locating them, you approach discretely and respectfully, then spend as long as you are able (maximum 1hr) in close proximity to observe their behaviour and social interaction. The experience of watching an extended family group feeding and grooming, or the youngsters playing - from a distance of just a few metres away - is simply unforgettable! Their daily routine revolves around foraging for food, resting and grooming - or playing for the young - before building nests for the night; any unweaned young sleep with their mothers. After this highly privileged insight into the way of life of these huge primates, you make your way back to camp - tired but elated.

For anyone not on gorilla patrol on a particular day, there is still plenty to keep you occupied. The park is home to over 120 species of mammals, including chimpanzee, various types of monkey and even a few elephant. Some 350 bird species have been recorded here - 190 in and around Buhoma Camp alone - and there are several trails which it is possible to hike with a local guide. (Bx2, Lx2, Dx2)

Note: There is no guarantee of seeing gorillas. The primary objective of the national park is to protect gorillas, not to provide an experience for humans. If you are ill - e.g. with a common cold, you may not even be allowed to track gorillas for fear of transmitting your illness. The walk to find the gorillas may take anything up to three or four hours and can be tough. At this altitude it’s cool in the early morning and hot in the middle of the day, so we recommend a long-sleeved garment and long trousers for walking in the rainforest, plus a warm fleece and a waterproof or rain poncho. Clothing should preferably be neutral in colour - green or khaki. Trail boots or walking boots with good traction are essential. You will have to carry provisions and plenty of water (porters can normally be hired). For photography, bear in mind that the gorillas are often encountered in dark forest or in shade. The itinerary of the trip may be subject to change due to the limited number of gorilla permits available on any given day.

Your first point of call this morning is Lake Mburo, a small but picturesque national park renowned for its herds of antelope and one of only two Ugandan parks home to Burchell’s zebra. The park is also especially good for acacia-associated birds. After your game drive in the park you will continue back to Entebbe and overnight again in your lakeside hotel (driving 290km, roughly 6 hours). Hotel – 1 night (BL) Swimming Pool